


Nightwalkers [unedited]

by Jammy



Category: Neopets
Genre: Comfort, Drama, M/M, ask to tag, honestly, like all the way in the end, yo I have no idea what the Eff this is honestly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2017-04-16
Packaged: 2018-10-19 16:31:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10643739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jammy/pseuds/Jammy
Summary: After another successful night on the job in making some contracts, the Gelert Assassin stays behind in the tavern so that he can meet up with Kanrik and share another calm evening together.But while he's there waiting a heated confrontation happens outside of the tavern, conveniently outside the window that he just happens to be sitting next to, but it just makes the urge to jump into the conversation even stronger since Kanrik is the one who's--wait, who's IS that other person that he's talking too and why--why are they talking about some incident at "the mansion"?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [werelupewoods](https://archiveofourown.org/users/werelupewoods/gifts), [t3f3r](https://archiveofourown.org/users/t3f3r/gifts).



> //waves hands// 
> 
> STORY NUMBER ONE. 
> 
> OUT OF GODDANG SIX. 
> 
> Anyways, I find it ironic that I just happened to finished this in the morning and then got tagged by Em to read a little drabble she wrote about Kanrik and Jenner talking about killing. It was meant to be or something, hahaha. Anyways, drama! And other stuff I donno what to tag, the only characters this really focuses around is Kanrik, Jenner and another person that is going to be introduced. But I added Nicko, Cal and the other characters in the tags 'cause they're mentioned. //shrugs//
> 
> Anyways, here's wonderwall. 
> 
> \-- -- -- -- -- -- --

He was certain that Kanrik was going to be there tonight--

 

not that they had planned to meet up here at the tavern or anything, it’s just that Kanrik is usually here when he’s writing a contract with someone.

 

The night was a very cold one, even with the night crawling slowly to the later hours the sky was becoming grey with clouds and the high treetops rustle feverishly with a stronger breeze in pursuit. It could only mean one thing: the autumn rains were coming. Jenner was ‘lucky’ enough to be sitting just besides a window that was opened just an inch or so, nightly chirps of petpetpets in the world outside were hushed with the atmosphere threatening of a soon-to-be downpour but every couple or so minutes the assassin would hear the faint conversations between neighbors walking by or guardsmen doing their late night rounds. The gusts from the outside world was truly a breath of fresh air compared to the heavy and warm musk of the tavern.

 

The barmaid almost reminded Jenner of Máiréad when she was her age, she had that feisty attitude, a very youthful face, a trim figure and curly medium length hair. She had that presence to her that would make some turn as they walk by, it was hard to explain it when the two of them grew up together but as he came of age he guessed it was just the confidence she carried that gave her that atmosphere. The young woman had asked Jenner after he was done with his contract signing what he would like to drink, and when he answered his usual brandy the young woman just rose a brow at him and asked smugly ‘who died?’. It was a reaction so unexpected that he couldn’t help but laugh at it and that alone got a smile on her face, she recommended another brand to him and even offered that if it didn’t appeal to him that it would be on the house. He asks just how she knows he might like the brandy and her only answer was: ‘I just have this feeling...because you remind me of an old friend’. Well, looks like that makes the both of them. Anyways, he took up her offer and to his surprise, the taste of the vintage liquor was exquisite. The moment with the barmaid also made him think, he really ought to pay another visit to Máiréad and Allana sometime soon…

 

Jenner’s ears perked up when he heard a rustling coming from outside of the tavern’s window, though there wasn’t anyone beyond the window in his sight of vision he can see just from the almost hidden shadows that whoever was sneaking around had to be just around the corner of the establishment. There was slight rustling that then turned into heavy steps, Kanrik, about time. But wait, there was more rustling and then lighter steps outside as well, Kanrik was out on the town with another one of his fellow thieves perhaps? It’s been said that he travels around with many of his guild members in the night, they would scour the rooftops or alleyways and cover more ground or whatever it was that thieves liked to do. Since there wasn’t anymore rustling it sounds as though that Kanrik and whoever this person were are the only two together tonight, and they had stopped in the alley close enough to Jenner’s window.

 

“You jealous that I was able to get more than you?” A lighter voice, more than likely belonging to a female spoke up finally, a grin obvious in her tone. “You haven’t spoken anything since we left that mansion, Kanrik.”

 

“I told you already Erinn, it’s not how much you steal it’s _**what**_ you steal.” Jenner could barely recognize the voice to be that of Kanrik’s, it sounded deeper in color and much more hushed, with a quick sounding scuff it could only mean that he turned sharply to talk to whoever this woman was face to face. “Why the hell did you kill that guard back there?” the assassin immediately sets his drink down on the table and leans in to rest his chin on his folded hands to listen better, the exact moment he had repositioned himself the woman scoffed at her superior’s question. “Why? He was barely older than you!”

 

“He was a _guard_ , Kanrik. He was at the wrong place, at the wrong time.”

 

“You haven’t fucking changed, have you?” He really shouldn’t be listening to this conversation, at least, that’s what it felt like to Jenner, but at the same time he’s never heard of Kanrik scolding one of his own for something—let alone killing a guard while they were roaming the city. It made him think then: what was Kanrik’s thoughts on killing? For a brief moment the assassin’s heart dropped and his mind began to run off in all different directions at the mere thought. What did he feel about _him_ killing people?

 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” the woman snapped back her voice a little louder to that of a whisper, another heavy footstep later and Kanrik’s voice is starting to sound as if he was sitting right besides Jenner on the left. A heavy breath from the thief only proved to him that Kanrik was upset and he was trying his best to keep his voice down so they won’t catch unwanted attention.

 

“It means—I don’t kill without thought or good reason and I sure as hell don’t see it as a game.” another quick scuff and another heavy footstep but not closer to where he was, it took a step away from the window. Jenner could see it then, that Kanrik was probably trying to get into the tavern’s entrance and leave their discussion there (because he’s not one to like confrontation) and the young woman he walked with just took a step in front of him just so she can block him from leaving their talk. Curious, maybe this woman is one to face conflicts head on, whatever the reason it might be that she’s stalling time or she really wants to hear what the young master thief has to say.

 

“So basically it’s okay for you or your _boyfriend_ to do it but not me.” the stress that she puts on the word makes it sound as though she might be appalled at the sheer mention of—ok—let’s be reasonable, Jenner might be the only one that spends the most time with Kanrik than that of anyone else when he’s at the guild. Though Jenner and his assassins pay very few visits as a whole group to the Thieves Guild, the assassin could be seen by himself always on the inside of their hideouts, and more than half of the time he’ll be alongside the master thief himself. And so he’s not really surprised that there are some that claim the two of them were in a relationship together, because—well sure, they are—but they’re still trying to play it off that they aren’t. At least, not until the both of them are comfortable with other people knowing.So what surprised Jenner the most was the lack of response from Kanrik, after she had said that he didn’t go on as to hurriedly say ‘we’re not boyfriends’ or stammer something incoherent in a failed attempt to state something among those lines. No, the thief is still quiet and no doubt, glaring eyes of daggers to this woman he stood with. “I see, I get it. But you know that guard? He’s not going to wake up later and follow our trails and cause us trouble, Kanrik. I did us a favor.”

 

“A favor? That’s the excuse you’re pulling now, Erinn?” Kanrik’s question is feigned with huffed chuckles and again the heavy footsteps come up, Jenner can now hear the faint muffled scrapes of Kanrik’s cloak rubbing across the stoned walkway in front of the tavern just before the dirt street. Taking a peek to his left and the grey Gelert can finally see the back of Kanrik’s, the woman in question was a young royalgirl colored Cybunny wearing all black and a black hood over her head making the short haircut she had barely visible. Both thieves turned to down the street once the bell tower that stayed there began to rang out, they stayed silent until all ten gongs were finished and Kanrik turned back to the smaller pet. “Listen, when any guard wakes up I’m usually long gone,” he lifts his hand and jabs a finger at her as he leans a little closer to see her face better in the street light, “and let’s make this clear: you have no right in bringing _him_ up in any of our conversations, you got that? You don’t know a damn thing about him.”

 

“I know he’s a cold blooded killer, Kanrik.” the young woman smiles in a sneer as she uses her hand that held some weird mechanical contraption to swat her superior’s hand away from her personal space. “Just. Like. Me.”

 

“You two are _**nothing**_ alike.” the thief hisses and Jenner can see now that Kanrik’s hands are balled up into tight fists, the way that the young male’s shoulders nearly shakes when he talks is a clear sign that he’s so close to boiling over. “He’s an assassin, and sure, a damn good one, but you? You’re a pathetic cleaver-happy butcher. A mere dirt farmer wouldn’t bother to spend any of their hard earned neopoints on you.”

 

“You’re just in a sour mood because _I’m_ better than you at _everything_ , Kanrik.” She boasts leaning forward as well so that she can get up to his face, though Kanrik doesn’t give her the opportunity, he stands up straighter, still holding his ground. “I can move faster, I can climb faster--”

 

“You can kill faster and make mistakes faster, I get it. You think you’re in control but you’re not—and you can’t, not when you’re a thief. That’s how we’re supposed to do this, Erinn. To be a thief you have to bend and flex with your surroundings like melting copper, throwing yourself into the fire without a care and all you’re going to do is just snap and lose your shape.” the thief crosses his arms over his chest and looks off to the floor at nothing in particular, all the while Erinn continues to watch him closely, maybe a little too closely for Jenner’s comfort. The assassin has the strongest urge to make his presence known but he knows that if he does then it might make this situation that Kanrik’s in even more awkward. Jenner than realizes that the whole time he’s been listening in to the conversation his fingers have been drumming dull rhythms against the tabletop, for the sake of keeping himself calm he stops, and just in time too, Kanrik sighs then after the long pause in between them, shaking his head shamefully just as he looks up at Erinn. “Tell Basto that the job is done, but don’t expect me to take anymore of his orders if you’re going to be there.”

 

“You’re asking me to tell my client to hire _**you**_ instead of me?”

 

“No. I’m telling you to inform him that if he ever wants my services then he’ll just have to allow me to work alone, sorry Erinn, everything that we used to do together years ago is all in the past. It would make my life so much easier if I never see your face again.” he copies the sneer she made earlier when a frown clearely shapes her younger looking features. “Y’know, to put it _**nicely**_.”

 

“Fine. You’re holding me back anyways.” Erinn says extending out her hand to the master thief, Kanrik reaches into a small satchel he had tied to his hip and hands over something that was wrapped up in cloth. ‘I’m not holding you back, you just think too shallow’ he manages to say just as the young Cybunny turns around to leave, but he’s the one who leaves the conversation first.

 

“Well that was ugly.” Jenner looks at the corner of his eye to see that the young Aisha barmaid was there again standing next to his table, a new glass of brandy and some other things in a tray that she had carried in her right hand. The assassin manages to hum in agreement and he doesn’t argue when she switches his empty glass with a newly filled one, “Erinn’s quite the wild thing she is, she believes that the world is all out to owe her something.”

 

“You know her, then?”

 

“Not personally, she usta work here a few years ago, the boss fired her ‘cause she was caught stealing from his family’s safe.” the young woman takes a small plate from the tray and rests it on the table in front of the assassin, it had a few cuts of various cheeses and slices of bread and crackers of all assortments. Jenner looks up at her about to tell her that he didn’t order the dish but she places a finger to her own lips to shush him, “On my tab, you haven’t eaten a thing in hours, sir. I don’t want you hobbling out of here and not making it home...wherever that may be.” Though he hates that she had done something like this he thanks her and with a growing grin the young barmaid then places a neatly folded napkin at the seat across from him and on that, an ice cold small glass of rum, it looked like. Jenner didn’t even get the time to look over and scour the rest of the tavern before a familiar cloaked figure came up from besides them and sat at the seat across with the rum on it’s side. “Evenin’ Kanrik.”

 

“Good evening, Josie.” the master thief sighs as he lifts the new glass to his lips and eagerly drinks, a small laugh escaping him when Josie argues that if he keeps drinking like that then he won’t be able to walk home. “Just trying to forget today, that’s all.” The young master thief sighs and leans in closer, his elbow resting on the tabletop and his cheek in hand, but the most peculiar thing had to be that when he did that Kanrik had closed his eyes. Jenner’s head tilts slightly and he just...watches.

 

“Bad day?” Jenner asks then, pulling his chair up so that he too can rest his arm on the table and lean forward closer to the thief. Kanrik groans though doesn’t say anymore, and honestly he couldn’t really blame him for not wanting to talk about what had just happened outside. “I take it then, that you don’t want to talk about it.”

 

“Hell no.” Kanrik manages to mumble finally, his eyes going from being shut tightly to more comfortable as he engulfs his senses to the tavern’s atmosphere. Two musicians play a soft melody off on the other side of the establishment, there are people talking among themselves sharing stories upon stories, some glasses clink a few steps away as an eager man and his friend share a toast to his newly wedded life, another man gives a cheer as his opponents over a card game give a few soft claps to celebrate his winnings. A lute begins to play a dull tune and finally Kanrik can breathe a sigh of relief, and then he feels it, fingers fitting in between his and a thumb gently running across his knuckles. Kanrik opens his eyes finally and he’s greeted with the beautiful honeycomb colored eyes that belong to the assassin, the thief grins slightly and then his eyes trail down to their hands and he can’t help but think about the Ice Caves over again.

 

‘ _I don’t kill without thought or good reason, but…’_

 

“I don’t expect you to tell me the secrets you keep when it comes to finishing a contract.” Kanrik begins coolly, taking the time to let his fingers twirl around Jenner’s more nimble ones. The assassin scoffs but doesn’t comment any further, though the thief is trying his best to remain composed it’s obvious that during the whole conversation that happened outside that he’s beginning to feel some sort of inner turmoil. The thieves eyes aren’t sparkling like they usually do when he’s about to inquire some intrusive information, they’re dull and the slight slant in his brows look all too familiar to Jenner, it was regret. “But...well, does it get any easier?”

 

“What does?”

 

“Y’know, your job? Working?” the young guild master sits himself up a little straighter only because he rests his elbow on the table and pulls himself up, with his free hand he twirls his hand in the air as if to come up with some thoughts, but, well, in Jenner’s experience it only means that Kanrik is trying to organize his thoughts into a question. “Like, the longer it takes you to—finish a contract, will it be easier to track them down? Or, is it like a bandage? Some situations call that you must pull it off quickly so it’s over in an instant, and sometimes you have to just—take your time with it so it’ll sting less?”

 

The laugh that escapes from the assassin would sound genuine if it was anyone else, but being this was Kanrik he sat with, someone who had followed him around and been with him for literal years, it was obvious that the deep throaty laugh that escaped from him was just a cover for the conflicting emotions he was hiding inside. The very questions the young rogue just so happens the be the very same questions that Jenner himself have been struggling with for the fourteen or so years that he’s been doing all of this. He suspects because of Erinn’s mindset over the whole thing is confusing Kanrik, and, well, he might as well just tell him the truth. Jenner taps his fingertips against the young thief’s knuckles in a quick silent contemplation just before he looks up and takes a quick drink from his brandy.

 

“No. It never gets easier. There’s no specific quota—no steps as to how one must come around and rid of someone for a contract. Some might suggest how you kill the other person, and honestly, those contracts are the hardest.”

 

“Because you’re given extra steps?” Kanrik inquires innocently, Jenner had to force himself to laugh at the thief’s obliviousness.

 

“No, because it makes me feel that I’m acting out my client’s own sick fantasy.” he stops himself for a moment, thinking back to what Kanrik had told Erinn about being so eager to kill someone and for some reason a knot begins to tie in the assassin’s stomach. The look of disgust that becomes apparent on the assassin’s face is enough to have Kanrik notice and give a small squeeze to his hand to urge Jenner to come back into the present from—wherever his thoughts were taking him, and it works, the Grey Gelert takes a quick glance over to Kanrik and then sighs. “If you ever come across someone who claims that doing any of this gets easier...or that taking a life away is _**fun**_ , Kanrik, promise me that you get far away from them as quickly as possible. They have no conscious, they know no sense of moral—good nor bad—and lastly: they won’t hesitate to take a life, even if there isn’t any coin involved. And that makes them the true definition of evil.” the thief nods his head slowly, still taking in the severity that’s in Jenner’s warning and the way that his hand that went from grabbing the glass of brandy immediately slides over and wraps around his hands and just holds them firmly, he recognizes the look of true fear that’s in those golden eyes and the light flicker of the candlelight that bounces off them. Jenner cares about him….he loves him.

 

Him being able to love…love the rainy afternoon walks on the cobblestone streets in Market Town, or the love he has given to Kanrik when they are alone and share sincere embraces or gentle caresses on the arm when they walk past each other. The love he shares whenever he sees and talks with Kanrik’s uncles Nickolas or Cathal and the love he has for his darling petpet Katydid and for his niece Allana and they would play the piano together or play knights and thieves, or for Kanrik’s baby cousin Bonnibelle and he gently rocks her as she falls to sleep. All these forms of love is exactly what makes himself different from Erinn, who’s never believed in consequences or loved a thing in her life.

 

Jenner isn’t a cold blooded killer, he’s just…

 

“I promise.” Kanrik whispers, sincerely and he sighs to nothing in particular, looking back down to Jenner’s hands just so he can squeeze some more reassurance in them. “Can I...tell you about my day? I gotta warn you though, there’s a lot of bullshit in it.”

 

“But of course, I’m all ears.” the assassin grins and for an instant his eyes trail to the candle flame that bounces excitedly in some quick unknown breeze that came in from the window, then he glances up at Kanrik to see the thief’s eyes focus on their hands, contemplating on where he should start. In a moment, the young rogue feigns a small laugh.

 

“I—am never going to look at letter openers the same way ever again.”


End file.
